Highs
& Lows
Over the weeks, or even throughout a single day, you can feel a wide range of emotions. Tracking the highs and lows can help you see patterns in how you feel and better understand how to move through the lows and highs.
Over the weeks, or even throughout a single day, you can feel a wide range of emotions. Tracking the highs and lows can help you see patterns in how you feel and better understand how to move through the lows and highs.
The range of emotions you experience may not always be easy, but recognizing both the ups and downs is the first step to developing resilience. Start by thinking about your past month— what were your highs and lows that occurred?
Write down a few moments over the last month where you felt hopeful, inspired, or happy. It might even be as small as something that made you smile or laugh. Map them against the timeline as dots in the order they happened. Some may be higher than others.
Now, write down a few moments over the last month where you felt frustrated, sad, or angry. Maybe it put you in a funk or you struggled for a while. Do the same for your lows as you did your highs.
Draw a line that connects your higher dots (highs) and lower dots (lows) based on the moments you listed out. What do you notice about your highs and lows? Do you think your highs have anything in common? What about your lows? Are there any patterns that emerge?
Mapping your highs and lows can help you to see how you are already practicing resilience. Look for places where you went from a low to a high. What helped you get there? Did you change anything about your situation? Keep these moments in mind as examples of your resilience.
Everyone has highlights and challenges– sharing them with others allows us to celebrate highs together and support each other through lows. Start a routine of sharing your highs and lows with someone you are close with, or maybe even a small group.
No matter where you are in your life, you will experience both highs and lows. When you’re in a low moment, how could you make yourself feel more comfortable? Create a mantra to tell yourself that comforts you or helps you feel more positive.
Research has shown that recognizing moments where you feel grateful, even in stressful situations, can improve your happiness. Find a way to collect some of these moments so that you can look back on them later— maybe write them in a note on your phone or keep a journal.